, and ornaments of feathers, all as
well arranged as they can possibly be found in any public squares or
markets in the world. There is much earthenware of every style and a
good quality, equal to the best Spanish manufacture. Wood, coal,
edible and medicinal plants, are sold in great quantities. There are
houses where they wash and shave the head as barbers, and also for
baths. Finally, there is found among them a well-regulated police; the
people are rational and well disposed, and altogether greatly superior
to the most civilized African nations. The country abounds in level
and beautiful valleys all tilled and sown, without any part lying
unimproved. In its constitution of government that has existed until
the present time, it resembles the states of Venice, Genoa and Pisa;
since the supreme authority is not reposed in one person. There are
many nobles, all of whom reside in the city; the common people are
laborers and the vassals of the nobility, but each one possesses land
of his own, some more than others. In war all unite and have a voice
in its management {140} and direction. It may be supposed that they
have tribunals of justice for the punishment of the guilty; since when
one of the natives of the province stole some gold of a Spaniard, and I
mentioned the circumstance to Magiscacin, the most powerful of the
nobility, they made search for the thief, and traced him to a city in
the neighborhood called Churultecal (Cholula) from whence they brought
him prisoner, and delivered him to me with the gold, saying that I must
have him punished. I acknowledged in suitable terms the pains they had
taken in the matter, but remarked to them that since the prisoner was
in their country, they should punish him according to their custom, and
that I chose not to interfere with the punishment of their people while
I remained among them. They thanked me and, taking the man, carried
him to the great market, a town crier making public proclamations of
his offense; they then placed him at the base of a structure resembling
a theatre, which stands in the midst of the market-place, while the
crier went to the top of the building, and with a loud voice again
proclaimed his offense; whereupon the people beat him with sticks until
he was dead. We likewise saw many persons in prison who were said to
be confined for theft and other offenses they had committed. There are
in this province, according to the report made by my orde